Brussels: Europe and the Arabs
Kaya Kallas, the European Union's foreign policy chief, said on the sidelines of a meeting of member states' foreign ministers in Brussels yesterday, followed by the international conference on supporting Syria, that the discussions included developments in the situation and the violence against the people in Syria. This is a very worrying development. A European statement from Kallas' office read: "We have the possibility of continuing to ease sanctions because if people cannot work and prosper there, it will create chaos in Syria, and this chaos could lead to civil war. This is our current position, which is that we are helping Syria move forward. And of course, we want to see the current leadership take seriously holding those responsible for the violence accountable, and we also want to see the government be inclusive, because Syria includes many different groups." For its part, the European Commission in Brussels said in a statement, "Today, at a pivotal moment in the Syrian transition process, the European Union hosted the ninth Brussels Conference "Standing with Syria: Addressing the Needs for a Successful Transition."
Amid renewed hope and significant challenges following the fall of the Assad regime, the European Union, along with Member States, regional and international partners, and the Syrian transitional authorities, affirmed its support for an inclusive and peaceful transition process, led by Syria and owned by Syria.
In a clear demonstration of the EU's continued support, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen announced that the EU has committed nearly €2.5 billion for 2025 and 2026 to support the transition process in Syria and the country's socio-economic recovery, while addressing urgent humanitarian needs, both inside Syria and among host communities in Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq, and Turkey. For 2025, the EU has increased its pledge made at the eighth Brussels Conference from €560 million to €720.5 million to support the population inside Syria, as well as Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities in Lebanon, Jordan, and Iraq. The EU also pledged €600 million for 2026 to these countries; and €1.1 billion to support Syrian refugees and vulnerable host communities in Turkey for 2025 and 2026.
The ministerial event included a political session chaired by High Representative/Vice-President Kaya Kallas, and two pledging sessions chaired respectively by Commissioner Haja Lahbib and Commissioner Dubravka Šoejka.
Representatives of Syrian civil society participated in the conference, providing valuable insights from the field. The conference also provided a platform to reaffirm the EU's commitment to safeguarding a prominent and inclusive role for civil society—in all its diversity—in a post-Assad Syria. The conference aimed to enhance efficiency and coordination among international partners and UN agencies, and to ensure that assistance meaningfully supports Syria's socio-economic recovery—an effort that must be Syrian-led and Syrian-owned.
The EU has remained steadfast in its commitment to supporting the Syrian people, including through organizing the annual Brussels Conference for the past eight years. Since 2011, the European Union and its Member States have mobilized nearly €37 billion in humanitarian and resilience-building assistance, supporting Syrians inside the country and across the region.